On February 25, 2026, OTTCO, a subsidiary of OQ, Oman's national energy group, officially launched the bidding preparation work for a 48 inch crude oil transportation pipeline with a total length of about 400 kilometers. The project has an investment scale of 800 million to 1.4 billion US dollars, aiming to connect the Ras Markaz crude oil terminal with the domestic main pipeline network and create a key crude oil storage and transportation hub along the Indian Ocean coast.

The pipeline will connect the Ras Makaz crude oil terminal located near Duqm, facing the Indian Ocean, and interconnect with Oman's existing main oil transportation system and export facilities, greatly improving the efficiency of crude oil gathering, storage, and export. It can dock ultra large oil tankers and provide an alternative export path for international crude oil trade without passing through the Strait of Hormuz, significantly enhancing the security and supply resilience of regional energy channels.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines of Oman has signed a special cooperation agreement with the project party, clarifying core terms such as pipeline docking, crude oil transfer, and Oman's mixed crude oil export, providing institutional guarantees for bidding, construction, and operation. After the completion of the project, it will strengthen Oman's strategic position in the Middle East crude oil trade pattern, drive the development of supporting industrial clusters such as ports, warehousing, and logistics, and attract global traders and reserve institutions to layout.

The industry pointed out that this project is a landmark project for Oman to optimize its energy export structure, reduce its dependence on the strait, and enhance its geopolitical energy discourse power. It is expected to open EPC bidding to international engineering companies and become a key target in the Middle East oil and gas infrastructure field in 2026.Editor/Bian Wenjun